The Greater Pilot
by Footprints
Summary: Shinji and Asuka have a contest to see who is the best Evangelion pilot.


The Greater Pilot

By Water/Air

Author's Note: This story takes place after Episode 13 and before Episode 14, when the series starts to get very dark. It flashes back between the years 2004 and 2015. I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Early 2004

"Shinji seems happy today," Yui smiled as she saw her four year old son opening his arms and waiting for his mother to hug him. Yui bent down and wrapped her arms around him, feeling the warmth in his body against her own. This remained one of the best things in Yui's life.  
  
"With you around, I'd be happy too," Gendo said smiling as he walked over to Yui and hugged her while Shinji hugged her. For a moment they were all hugging until Gendo broke it short. He smiled and kissed Yui on the cheek as he walked toward the suitcase and stuffed the rest of his clothes in it.  
  
Yui looked from Shinji to Gendo with sad eyes. "Dear, do you really have to go? We'll miss you so much," Yui said, joking while being serious.  
  
"It's business. Actually..." Gendo paused and turned to Yui. "I was kind of hoping that you would come with me. Then we could have a vacation and work at the same time. It would be a... good experience for Shinji."  
  
Yui's face lit up quickly and she had tried to hide it but to no avail. Gendo saw this look. "Well, I..." Yui was about to start when she felt Gendo's lips against her own. For a moment, she tried to talk but soon realized that she was trapped in this position until she kissed him back. Yui sighed and kissed Gendo back, giving in to what he wanted. When he pulled away she looked at him. "...think that we could use some vacation time," Yui said, blushing and smiling at the same time.  
  
"See, aren't I quite the mind reader?" Gendo joked as he zipped the suitcase shut and turned to Yui who was bouncing Shinji up and down. "You'd better start packing," he said, smiling and turning back around.

2015

"Okay, proceed to intercept the target and stop it from approaching passed the boundary line," Misato's voice rang across the communication links of Unit-01 and Unit-02. The receivers looked out across the virtual Geofront to see a figure in the distance, approaching rapidly.  
  
"What is the combat level?" Asuka asked, her voice sharp and quick.  
  
"Sorry, I can't tell you, Asuka. It's better to not know so no expectations will-" Misato started but was cut off by Asuka.  
  
"Okay, okay. Just tell me the answer," Asuka said annoyed as she loaded her gun and pointed it at the figure waiting for a clear shot.  
  
Shinji, who was tired from training all of last night, watched lazily as the figure got closer. Shinji wondered which angel it would be. They had already fought eleven and anyone could be the one they had to fight. Although, Shinji could estimate which ones. The 11th were nano-machines and impossible to beat by an Eva: they would be excluded. The 6th was aquatic and there were no oceans in the Geofront. The 8th lived in magma, no volcanoes in the Geofront either. The 1st and 2nd had never been seen or at least he thought so. So that left only six to choose from.  
  
"Hey, Shinji..." Asuka's voice had taken on a seductive manner now and it woke him from his sleep.  
  
"Uh... y-yeah?" Shinji asked, a bit nervous because he remembered that every time she pulled that voice, something bad would happen. Then Shinji's fears were confirmed as his communication to the bridge was disconnected.  
  
"I have a way to settle our dispute. Who ever kills the most angels here before getting killed wins and is dubbed the better pilot," Asuka said, her voice was now filled with amusement but Shinji's was of exhaustion. Shinji hated bickering with Asuka because she would always embarrass him or somehow really find a way to hurt his feelings.  
  
"But, shouldn't we be following orders?" Shinji questioned, looking for a way out.  
  
Asuka scowled. "Oh, of course. We'll follow orders and procedure like good little children. Hey Shinji, do you want a tofu burger, you do realize that regular ones are fattening right?" Asuka asked in her innocent mimic.  
  
When the words hit Shinji he looked up. He really hated how Asuka could set him off like this. "I do eat meat. And I will accept your challenge!" Shinji said boldly.  
  
"A challenge? Hardly. Remember, my Unit-02 is more superior than the 'TEST TYPE.'" Asuka bragged. "But then again, an idiot like you wouldn't know that would you?"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"You shut up!"  
  
"Bring it on!"  
  
"Come and get it!"

2004

Yui, holding Shinji, and following Gendo walked through the warm area in Germany. Neo-Berlin was a large city, much bigger than Tokyo-3. When the plane had landed, it had taken over twenty minutes to fly over the behemoth of the city. In the center where buildings that were about three hundred floors high. "And I thought that Gherin was impressive..." Yui was almost breathless.  
  
"This may look big but it's nothing compared to the Geofront," Gendo said, looking around.  
  
"Are we going soon? Shinji's getting reckless," she said holding the four year old in her arms.  
  
"Okay, okay," Gendo gave up. "All I have to do is flag down a Taxi and..." Gendo stopped as a limo pulled up in front of them, the sign for Gherin was in a small flag on top. "Or maybe not."  
  
"Oh wow!" Yui exclaimed.

2015

"You bet I'll come and get it!" Shinji yelled back before turning his attention when the radar went off for the situation. He turned to see an angel far in the distance. It may have been far but Shinji could recognize its arms. It was the 4th angel. Shinji swallowed the bile rising in his throat. This fight did not bring back pleasant memories for him.  
  
Shinji remembered how he had to eject the pod to let Kensuke and Touji in because he almost crushed them himself. Then he disobeyed Misato's retreat order and went for a melee with just a progressive knife. All in all, he had killed the angel (intact nonetheless) but barely. By disobeying Misato's order, he had been cursed out. Shinji remembered this as the turning point.  
  
This was his first leaving attempt. His first chance at getting free. Now he was in too far to get back out again. They would probably have to kill him if he tried to leave now. Of course, he was foolish enough to think that it was bad back then. Now, it was so much worse.  
  
NERV... Asuka... Rei... Misato... Father... 

All pushing him to his desperate edge. The line that wouldn't be crossed by fear of death. Shinji had an ominous feeling that when he crossed this line, nothing would ever be the same. Right now, he didn't even want to see the line.  
  
"Go!" Asuka yelled as Unit-02 sped forward and engaged the 4th angel. Shinji was snapped out of his thoughts by the fight and watched as Asuka fought the angel. The angel's arms waved around in real life but it was much slower and its AT Field was much weaker.  
  
Unit-02 managed to grab a wrist and twist, breaking it sharply and dimming the light on that side. Before she could react next, the other arm swung and hit Asuka in the side, taking ten points out of her hundred point health bar. Asuka looked up angrily and drew the prog. knife, stabbing the angel through the core in a swift move.  
  
'It was much harder when I tried to hit it,' Shinji complained in his head. The angel exploded then and Asuka pocketed her progressive knife smiling through the communication link.  
  
"Who's good now?" she asked, her voice carrying a tone of superiority. Then her screen shook as she realized that another ten points was taken from her life. Shinji turned to see the 10th angel in sky, dropping it's AT Field. The one that had damaged Asuka had only partly hit it.  
  
Shinji took out his knife and ran gathering up speed for his attack. "I'm good! I'll show you how to do it!" Shinji yelled as he jumped up and threw the progressive knife up into the angel's eye, slicing through it and destroying the angel. When the explosion ceased, Shinji looked at the screen to see Asuka growling in anger.  
  
"A lucky kill! You only did it because you had me to motivate you!" Asuka said. Then they both turned to see the 7th and 9th angel in the distance. Asuka smiled a smile that Shinji didn't like before picking up the gun and firing at the 9th, the machine gun fire sped through it, tearing it to shreds.  
  
The 7th turned and split into Alpha and Omega. Alpha headed for Asuka while Omega waited in back up. Seeing Alpha in front of her, Asuka readied the shot blasters. Before she could hit Alpha, she saw Unit-01 jump and melee Omega, sending it over.  
  
Shinji raised his arm and brought it down on the core, cracking it into pieces. Asuka turned her attention back to Alpha and shot the black spikes out of her cannon. On target, they cruised into the 7th angel's body, sinking deep and causing blood to shoot from all sides. Smiling, Asuka picked up her progressive knife and stabbed into the core. Making Alpha explode.  
  
Unit-02 then turned to see Unit-01 facing toward her. She looked into the link and saw Shinji with a smile on his face. "If I hadn't killed Omega, you'd lose and you know it!" Shinji said feeling fairly good about his aggressiveness for once.  
  
"Yeah right! You'd have lost to Alpha if I hadn't killed it. Alpha was stronger anyway," chanted the Second Child. Before she could lay it on some more, a huge light was seen and Shinji screamed as his health decreased by fifty points.

2004

"You must be Gendo Ikari. The head of the Japanese branch of Gherin?" the German commander said in an accent holding out his hand.  
  
"That is correct. I've heard things about you to, sir," Gendo said shaking his hand. There was a moment of silence as the German commander looked over Yui and Shinji behind Gendo before turning back.  
  
"I'm sure that you'll want to see our branch but I'll have to ask the non-personnel to stay behind," he said as politely as he could.  
  
It took Gendo a moment to realize that he was talking about Yui and Shinji. "Oh you misunderstand. My wife is also a member of Gherin. She has a personnel card to. I hope you don't mind but she wanted to come along," Gendo said as politely as he could.  
  
"No, not at all. Please..." the German commander said motioning to the metal door behind them. "Walk right in."  
  
When Gendo and Yui crossed the door, Yui's eyes widened as she took in the scenery. The rooms were huge, almost bigger than at the Geofront and inside was a large holding area with two bridges on either side. Hanging up were large prototype metal bodies. Each had a head with three eyes. The body was all plated with grey armor. They stood at almost a thousand feet tall. "My god!" she exclaimed. "What are these!?"  
  
"They are robots that some of our best scientists have created!" the German commander spoke from behind them. "They are war machines but they need a human pilot. This is our weapon against the angels. They are called Evangelions!"  
  
Yui felt as if the world was spinning around her. She hadn't seen anything like this before. These things though, they looked like.... demons. Shinji started to stir a little and looked up at Yui. "Mama," he said, yawning the effects from his nap. "Where is we?"  
  
"In a very protected place," Yui said, hardly able to turn her attention to Shinji any longer. She was still getting over the shock of it all when...  
  
"Ugh, mein gott! I told you to insert the plug in the left outlet! Not to the umbilical cable. We can't run if you're stealing all of our power! Now do it right!" a woman yelled from the side, scaring a scientist away. She had long brown hair and bright blue eyes. On her body was a scientist's lab coat with a skirt underneath. She turned to see her commander with some strangers at the door.  
  
"Commander! Who are these people?" she demanded.  
  
"I was actually looking for you. I'd like to introduce you to these people. This is Gendo Ikari, head of the Gherin Japanese branch. This is his wife Yui and their son Shinji," the commander said as the woman just stared at them. Seeing that she was making no move to introduce herself, the commander stepped forward again. "Gendo, Yui. This is-" the commander started but was cut off.  
  
"Dr. Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu," the woman said in a harsh tone.

2015

Shinji spun around to see the 5th in the distance. 'Dammit! How could I forget!' he said, picking up the sniper rifle and waited for a load shot. The 5th started to warm again but Shinji fired, the high-powered beam of light sped out of the gun and smashed into the 5th, sending it straight through and causing the 5th to explode and sending it's remains to the ground.  
  
Before he anytime to think, he turned seeing Asuka firing. Shinji zoomed in to get a closer look at his enemy. The 3rd angel. This was one that Shinji didn't ever want to see again. The fourth was better than this. The third had been the time when his Eva first went berserk.  
  
It had self-destructed but in the end, Shinji saw something more horrifying. His Evangelion without the armor was like some sort of monster and he had seen it before he passed out. He never wanted to face that again. He would let Asuka take care of it. Asuka jumped into it, swinging her progressive knife over her head and plunging it straight into the core.  
  
She didn't have time to think though about a victory because it got back up and glowed. "A self destruction?" Asuka asked before a huge light engulfed her and her Eva. When the smoke cleared, he could see that Asuka had lost twenty points of health but she wasn't dead. In fact, she had more life than Shinji did.  
  
"That was the third huh? I don't see why you had such a tough time defeating it, third! I did it easily and elegantly like it should be done!" Asuka bragged.  
  
"Hey, I hadn't even ever seen an Eva before then. It was my first time," Shinji wined back. "And I remember how you needed our help on the 6th!" Shinji yelled.  
  
"Help! You only caused me trouble, falling in my lap like a pervert!" Asuka yelled back.

2004

"This is the commander of Gherin in Japan, not much to look at!" Kyoko laughed at her own joke in front of Gendo whose face had dimmed to a look of frustration. 

'What a bitch,' Gendo complained in his head before turning to the commander. "So do you have the test and prototype ready for transport?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, they will be in Japan in a few weeks. Don't worry. I just hope it works, we've been having some problems..." their conversation grew out of reach to Yui who was holding Shinji and pointing out all of the Evangelions to him.  
  
"Your son seems amused. What is his name?" Kyoko asked.  
  
"Shinji Ikari. He's my joy and sunshine," Yui said tickling Shinji in the stomach.  
  
"Mama, stop it! It tickles!" he yelled before bursting out in laughter. Then Yui stopped and Shinji settled down.  
  
"Kids are more of an annoyance to me," Kyoko said. This warranted a look from Yui. "My daughter does nothing but whine and disturb me from my work. She only thinks of herself," Kyoko scowled.  
  
"They're kids, of course they need attention," Yui said sweetly. "Just take sometime off sometimes and spend sometime with her. I guarantee she will become less selfish."  
  
"And what if another angel attacks while I'm away!? No, I'm a scientist first and a mother second. The world is more important than one person!" Kyoko said, rationally, confidently.  
  
Yui blinked a second before responding. "But don't you even love your own daughter? You should care about who she will be in the future. There are enough people without families to save the Earth. You are just hiding your responsibility behind protection!" Yui started, getting slightly angry.  
  
"What would you know about anything?" Kyoko shouted back, only louder. "At least I'm helping and trying to save the human race. You think that we should give up our survival for our own selfish needs! You aren't a scientist! Why am I even talking to you?" Kyoko said, and then she stormed away toward the locker rooms, leaving Yui standing there.  
  
Gendo and the German commander turned to see the end of the scene. "I'm afraid that she has quite the attitude. I'm really sorry about her. She's been under a lot of stress lately..." the German commander trailed off.  
  
"Don't worry about it. Yui's fine. But it is okay if I come back later?" Gendo asked.  
  
"Sure, sure. Come any time!"

2015

"How are they?" Misato Katsuragi asked from inside the bridge, watching the virtual spectacle in front of them.  
  
"Not so well. Shinji is only working at half capacity and Asuka is close to that," Makoto said, adjusting his glasses. "But we did okay, I mean. Those are the angels that we will use right?"  
  
"Yeah, the others aren't fit for the environment," Misato said.  
  
"We could always change the environment, Major," Ritsuko said, putting emphasis on 'Major.' Misato silently scowled, even with the higher rank Ritsuko still treated her lower.  
  
"No, that will be all for today." Misato had the final word and the bridge fell silent for a second before the lights all clicked off. There were a few gasps as the red emergency lights and alarm came on. "What? What's happening?" Misato demanded looking around.  
  
"The system is out of control!" Maya yelled. Ritsuko ran over to look at the screen. Misato heard her gasp and turn.  
  
"Impossible! How can the system run at 900 percent capacity?!" Ritsuko questioned. "Shut it down!!"  
  
"I can't disconnect it, it's overriding our signals!" Maya yelled.  
  
"Get the children out!" Ritsuko yelled.  
  
Behind the chaos, Gendo Ikari watched with his hands folded. A look of seriousness was on his face but he didn't speak. He wouldn't become the chaos, he would rule the chaos.

2004

"I'll leave early thank you," Gendo had remembered Yui's words as he took the flight back to Tokyo-3 alone. It had turned out that Dr. Soryu's words had hit her deep. He would have to ask her about that later.  
  
Now though, it was time to get back to Tokyo-3 and test out the new models that would arrive in a few weeks. The prototype also called Unit-00 and the test type called Unit-01.

2015

"Shinji, Asuka! Eject now!" that was all they heard before the line went blank and static took over. Shinji looked down at the screen to see Asuka looking around in confusion. Then when he was about to speak the lights dimmed to a red and they both turned to hear a roar.  
  
Asuka thought it was an angel and turned. Shinji, however, had heard that roar before. This was the epitome of all the horrors he had ever experienced. The chill went up his spine and he felt like screamed for redemption as he saw it. Up on the hill of the virtual Geofront was Unit-01 but it wasn't Unit-01.  
  
It stood as Unit-01 did but it held no weapons. Instead it had both hands clenched into fists. Its green eyes were red and squinted. Its mouth was wide open. "What is that?" Asuka questioned.  
  
"B—bbb-berserker!" Shinji yelled as the Eva jumped into the air and landed near Shinji. Shinji tried to move his legs and arms but found that he was paralyzed in fear as the berserk Unit-01 walked toward him, waiting to strike. 'It's just a simulation, not real. Just a simulation!' his mind shouted. Then the Berserker punched down, hitting Shinji in the stomach. His points decreased instantly to negative 2000 and Shinji felt an unbearable pain. 'No! It's real!'  
  
Then he heard gunfire. Off to the side he caught Asuka firing her main rifle at the Berserker who just threw up its AT Field to block it. Asuka, not taking the hint to stop, pressed on. Shinji watched in horror as he realized what would happen to Asuka. 'Asuka.... no!'  
  
Berserker jumped over the gunfire and flipped onto Unit-02, crashing it into the ground. Asuka was surprised to say the least when she felt a large pain before everything started to become blurry.  
  
"Stop!"

2005

"So, she is insane?"  
  
"She thinks that doll is her daughter, must be from the neglect of her daughter."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"The Evangelion didn't accept her. Instead, it trapped her inside. It started to slowly destroy her mind. She was trapped in the production type for over seven hours."  
  
"A big shame, such a good doctor."  
  
"Is that her daughter?"  
  
"Yeah, she comes here.... everyday."

2004

Eva Unit-01 slammed into the Berserker, sending it off of Unit-02 and back at the scenery. Before it could get there, Shinji picked up his and Asuka's progressive knives and charged toward the Berserker. When it hit the ground, Shinji jumped up high in air, thrusting both knives down as the Berserker got a lot closer...

2005

"So you just found him?"  
  
"Yeah, at the train station. He was crying and really messed up. I think that his parents abandoned him."  
  
"People have no decency these days!"  
  
"A shame! He looks pretty smart. He also looks like he could grow up to be quite the lady-killer."  
  
"So what are you going to do with him?"  
  
"I have a friend. A teacher. He would be good with kids. I should call him up."  
  
"What's his name? The boy's, I mean."  
  
"Oh, he has a bag labeled Shinji Ikari. I think that is his name."

2015

Shinji yelled as he stabbed into the Berserker with both knives. First one penetrated the stomach, the other stabbed out an eye. Shinji pulled out the knives and stabbed inside again, only this time he raised it higher. He repeated this until the Berserker stopped twitching.  
  
When he got up, he turned to face Unit-02 and Asuka's horrified face.

2011

"Now class," the teacher said standing up and looking around the room of students, "can anyone tell me the significance of A Slightly Green Theory by Aliis Malcheen. And let me remind you that this is a post-Second Impact story so don't confuse it with any older works."  
  
Shinji sat in the back of the classroom absorbing the words. The book had been in his interests and he would have stood up to summarize but the last time he did, the kids called him a nerd. Shinji didn't really want to be made fun of again so he didn't speak. Instead the teacher called on a girl.  
  
"The significance is that the plot is a bit of a tragedy," the girl said.  
  
"Explain," the teacher responded.  
  
"The man in this story is just trying to preserve himself against the horrors of mankind that want to destroy him. All of these mad and bloodthirsty people want his downfall. Soon, he snaps and fights them. They are very bloodthirsty and vicious but he finds that in killing them, he becomes the vicious one. He becomes bloodthirsty and goes berserk about it. It is a case of guilt against survival. Human emotions and the destiny of mankind," the girl explained.  
  
"Excellent!"

2015

"The systems have settled down now," Maya said. "That was a close one."  
  
Asuka's horrified face slightly decreased as Shinji blinked and looked at her strangely. "I... what happened to you?" Shinji asked in a weak voice, a voice not of wimpyness but a voice of pain and exhaustion.  
  
"I just got punched."  
  
"Are you..." Shinji started.  
  
"I'll live, in fact... My Eva is still alive," she said, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
"I guess you're right then," Shinji said smiling and closing his eyes. He knew that Asuka was waiting for the rest. "You are the greater pilot," he said.  
  
"Damn straight!"  
  
Shinji just chuckled. "Now, I'm going to sleep now. I'm very tired," he said laying back in the LCL and letting the blackness consume him.

2004

In Germany, in the Gherin branch. Shinji Ikari wondered around the hallway. His mom had let him go because she needed some rest after a test they had taken. But Shinji didn't understand this. He just knew that he was free to wonder. The hallway was big for young Shinji and he needed a big area to run around in. He had slept most of the trip.  
  
When he had finally found a place to run around he realized something: There was no one there to play with. But then again, Shinji never really had anyone to play with. This was the first time he had felt lonely in quite a while. He struggled to hold back the tears as he curled up in the corner trying to take it.  
  
When Shinji had let out a lot of tears, he heard a noise behind him and turned to see a girl staring at him. She looked about his age with long red hair, blue eyes, and wearing a dress.  
  
"Hello," Shinji said, quietly. "I miss my mommy! Do you know where she is?"  
  
The girl just looked at him, staring him down and sizing him up. Shinji didn't feel comfortable about her gaze. He shrugged back and turned around, cleaning up the tears.  
  
"My mama works here! She's the greatest mama ever! She's busy so I can't disturb her but she is the best!" the girl chanted.  
  
"Does your momma know my mommy?" Shinji asked, hoping that the girl knew.  
  
"She's my mama! Find your own!"  
  
"But I have my own momma. I'm looking for her."  
  
"Yeah right! You just want to steal my mommy!"  
  
"I do not, I love my mommy!"  
  
"Hm!"  
  
"Can you.... uh.... help me?"  
  
"Only if you give me something!"  
  
"I have three Oreos."  
  
"Okay. Then let's go. I know this place by heart! I'm the best because I can find my way around everywhere! My daddy said so!"  
  
"I have a daddy too."  
  
"I bet mine is better than yours!"  
  
"What is your name pretty girl?" Shinji asked hoping that the girl his age would answer.  
  
"Asuka Langley Soryu! I'm the greatest, most prettiest girl in all the world!"  
  
"My name is Shinji!"  
  
"Who cares about your name?"  
  
"My mama named me!"  
  
Shinji and Asuka walked through the hallways, arguing. They argued until Asuka had walked Shinji back to the area where Kyoko was.  
  
"Bye, bye!" Shinji said, waving to the girl as her car pulled away, Kyoko in the driver's seat.  
  
"Bye!!!!"  
  
Shinji was picked up by Yui again and tickled in the stomach. After the laughing fit, he looked up at his loving mother. "Hey Shinji? Would you like to back to Tokyo-3?"  
  
"Are you coming with mama?" Shinji asked.  
  
"Of course! We'll go home and have a fun time and your father will come home later this week and we'll just go," Yui said, smiling and looking at her son with a look in her eyes. "I love you Shinji!"  
  
"Me too, mama!"  
  
"Let's go home!"  
  
"Hey, sing me a song again!"

END 


End file.
